Between Conflict and Cooperation

This book addresses opportunities and obstacles to§the formation of cooperative relations between§non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the state§in Brazil, in the context of economic and political§changes during the last three decades. The emergence§of these organizations during the final years of the§1964-1985 military dictatorship in Brazil imprinted a§strong anti-state character on NGOs §political-institutional identities. After 1985, with§the democratization of the country, the NGOs field§of activity underwent a process of profound§transformation. First, international funders started§a gradual withdrawal of support, causing the§organizations to experience financial crises and§forcing them to explore alternative resources.§Second, newly elected national governments began to§form partnerships with NGOs to deliver public§services. The combination of changed circumstances§caused the NGOs to experience identity crises .§While exploring these and other contradictions found§in the NGO-state relations in Brazil, this book also§addresses issues that are relevant to recent debates§about the relationship between civil society actors§and the state in Latin America.